"From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin we bring our blessing and congratulations to all Armenians of Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora on the occasion of Armenia's Independence Day. Our souls are happy and full of pride and glory for the symbol of our national holiday. It was 19 years ago this cherished day when we realized our centuries-old vision of having a free and independent country. We are filled with hope that the free and independent country will develop and prosper through the combined efforts of all Armenians and will become the pillar and the stronghold for Armenians in all corners of the globe. Let us thank God, be more dedicated and make more efforts as we continue to care for our country, the advancement of the daily and spiritual lives of our nation with more zeal. By saying a prayer to God from the Mother Temple of Holy Etchmiadzin, we ask for the welfare of all Armenians and that they live in peace under the heavenly grants and blessing and always be happy for the new, glorious victories and achievements," said the Catholicos.

On the occasion of Independence Day, with the accompaniment of high-ranking officials President Serzh Sargsyan today visited the "Yerablur" military pantheon and paid tribute to the Armenians who sacrificed their lives for independence of the homeland, as reported by the press service of the RA President.

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a statement on Armenia's Independence Day. "On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Armenia as you celebrate your Independence Day on September 21. " "I experienced the hospitality of the Armenian people first hand when I visited Yerevan earlier this year. I was honored to spend the Fourth of July – our national independence day – in Armenia, and I am proud to commemorate Armenia’s rich culture and many achievements on your independence celebration.""Americans of Armenian heritage have made many contributions to the United States over the years, deepening the ties of friendship and affection between our countries. We are committed to expanding our cooperation and building a promising future for all our citizens. I wish the people of Armenia a safe and happy independence day, with peace and prosperity in the year ahead."

U.S, Russia Hail ‘Historic’ Ties With Armenia U.S. -- President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev walk outside the White House after a joint news conference in Washington, DC, 24Jun2010

21.09.2010 The United States and Russia praised their “historic” relations with Armenia as they marked one of its most important public holidays on Tuesday.

“On this occasion, we recognize and pay tribute to the spirit and accomplishments of the Armenian people and to their achievements around the world,” U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement dedicated to what the White House described as Armenian National Day.

“The United States is proud of the historic ties and friendship between our countries and honored by the many contributions Americans of Armenian ancestry have made to our nation,” he said.

Obama made the same point in a virtually identical letter to President Serzh Sarkisian congratulating him on the 19th anniversary of Armenia’s declaration of independence from the crumbling Soviet Union.

“Americans of Armenian heritage have made many contributions to the United States over the years, deepening the ties of friendship and affection between our countries,” read a separate statement issued by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “We are committed to expanding our cooperation and building a promising future for all our citizens.

Sarkisian also received a congratulatory message from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. “Our citizens take pride in glorious pages of our common history, common achievements and victories,” Medvedev said.

“Today, Armenia and Russia build strategic partnership on the basis of mutual trust and cooperation, conduct active political dialogue, and coordinate their steps on the regional and international arenas,” he added, according to the Armenian presidential press office.

Russia has been Armenia’s leading ally ever since the Soviet break-up. The two states expanded the scope of their military alliance during Medvedev’s recent visit to Yerevan.

Armenia has at the same time sought to forge closer political, economic and security links with the West and the U.S. in particular. Meeting with a top U.S. diplomat last week, Sarkisian said the current “high level” of U.S.-Armenian ties and their further deepening are an “important factor” in his country’s economic development and regional stability. He also praised the U.S. role in international efforts to broker a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Turkish President Congratulates Armenia On Independence Day U.S. -- Turkey's President Abdullah Gul speaks during the Millennium Development Goals Summit at United Nations headquarters, in New York, 20Sep2010

21.09.2010 Artur Papyan In a rare letter to his Armenian counterpart, Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul joined world leaders on Tuesday in congratulating Armenia on the 19th anniversary of its declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.

President Serzh Sarkisian’s press office did not publicize the text of the letter or report any of its details. There was no word on it on Gul’s website.

A source in the Armenian presidential administration told RFE/RL’s Armenian service that the “extensive” message expressed hope that the Turkish-Armenian normalization protocols signed a year ago will “serve as the basis” for future relations between the two neighboring states. The protocols commit them to establish diplomatic relations and open their border, which Turkey had closed in 1993 in solidarity with Azerbaijan.

The source also quoted Gul as saying that the resolution of regional conflicts would allow the two historical foes to establish “good-neighborly” ties. That was yet another indication that the Turkish government continues to link parliamentary ratification of the protocols with a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to Azerbaijan.

Turkey -- President Abdullah Gul ® speaks with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian during the World Cup 2010 qualifying football match between Turkey and Armenia in Bursa, 14Oct2009A Turkish Foreign Ministry official told RFE/RL’s Armenian service on Friday that Ankara would settle for a partial Armenian troop withdrawal from Azerbaijani territories surrounding Karabakh. “We hope that there could be gestures and some movements on the Armenian side so that our parliament can go ahead and approve this important document,” he said.

Yerevan has repeatedly rejected such “preconditions.” Armenian leaders argue that neither protocol makes any reference to the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute.

The signing of the protocols in Zurich in October 2009 was the culmination of a dramatic Turkish-Armenian rapprochement that began with Gul’s historic September 2008 visit to Yerevan. The Turkish president was invited by Sarkisian to attend a first-ever game between the two countries’ national soccer teams.

The two leaders watched the return leg of the match in the Turkish city of Bursa a year later. “We are not writing history, we are making history,” Gul declared during their talks held there.

The normalization process fizzled out in the following months as Ankara reverted to its Karabakh linkage and protested against the Armenian Constitutional Court’s interpretation of the Western-backed agreements. Sarkisian responded by accusing the Turks of reneging on the deal and freezing its ratification process in the Armenian parliament.

Yesterday,a reception had been organized on the occasion of the 21st
anniversary of RA independence at the sport complex after Karen
Demirjyan. The entire ruling and so-called non-ruling `elite' was
there. Well, everything was like it has been every year:
SerzhSargsyan's speech, `dessert' tables, big words about the bright
future... this uniformity is already boring. Equally annoying is the
obvious cynicism of that this event is drunken with.
When NA MP Arakel Movsisyna , the same 'Shmays' got out of his car,
it's clear, that the car would not have an insurance and tech-check
coupons on the front glass of the car. According to shmayses, those
are only for naďve people. And they are not naďve, because of being
Serzh's fellows. Because every year they are invited to the complex to
listen to Serzh's speech. That's why they shouldn't have any coupons
on their cars, they shouldn't pay taxes, even if they kill someone,
they shouldn't be convicted, because they are Serzh's fellows. They
can take away someone's property, can send their unremarkable
bodyguards to disperse meetings, because they are Serzh's fellows. Do
you know how many such fellows were in the complex? Yesterday near the
complex, our reporter shot about a dozen cars of such fellows in a few
minutes, which didn't have coupons on their front glass. Isn't it
clear after this why the country living in independence for already 21
year empties and destroys? What a difference who suck the country's
juice and oppress an entire nation, foreign or own bandit? Thus, the
independence still needs to be achieved.

President Pranab Mukherjee wishes people of Armenia ahead of their I-Day

President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday extended his greetings and
felicitations to the government and the people of the Republic of
Armenia on the eve of their Independence Day.

In his message to Serzh Sargsyan, the President of the Republic of
Armenia, the President said, On behalf of the Government and the
people of India and on my own behalf, I have the pleasure to convey
warm greetings and felicitations to you and to the Government and
people of Armenia on the occasion of your Independence Day.

We, in India, are delighted to witness the progress and development
achieved by the people of Armenia in the last two and half decades. We
wish them further success in their chosen path of development,
Mukherjee said.

India remains committed to work with the people of Armenia to further
deepen our traditional and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship,
he said.

Mukherjee said: Please accept, Excellency, my best wishes for your
good health and personal well-being as well as for the progress and
prosperity of the friendly people of the Republic of Armenia.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Congratulates Armenia's President on
Independence Day

Jeddah, Dhu-AlHijjah 06, 1436, September 20, 2015, SPA -- The
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,
has sent a cable of congratulations to President Serzh Sargsian of the
Republic of Armenia on the anniversary of his country's Independence
Day.
In his cable, the King wished the President constant good health and
happiness and his people steady progress and prosperity.
--SPA

Muscat: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of
congratulations to President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca of the
Republic of Malta on the occasion of her country's Independence
Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty the Sultan has expressed his sincere
congratulations along with his best wishes to President Preca and the
people of Malta.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has also sent a cable of
congratulations to President Serzh Sargsyan of the Republic of Armenia
on the occasion of his country's Independence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty has expressed his sincere congratulations
along with his best wishes to President Sargsyan and the people of his
country.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has sent a cable of congratulations
to Colville Young, Governor General of Belize on the occasion of his
country's Independence Anniversary.

In his cable, His Majesty has expressed his sincere congratulations
along with his best wishes to Colville Young and the people of his
country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Armenia's leader
Serzh Sargsyan on the occasion of the country's Independence Day.

In a congratulatory address, the Russian President stressed the
successful and comprehensive development of Armenian-Russian relations
and hailed the willingness of Armenian partners to further reinforce
the mutually beneficial cooperation both on bilateral level and within
the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union, the OSCE and the CIS.

Vladimir Putin reiterated the committment of the Russian side to
continue to help Armenia in solving the urgent social-economic issues
and voiced confidence that the whole framework of allied relations
and the constructive cooperation on regional issues would continue
to develop.

On 21 September Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan sent a
congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan in connection with the Independence Day.

The letter runs as follows:

"Your excellency, Mr. Sargsyan,

I cordially congratulate You and our whole nation on the 24th
anniversary of independence of the Republic of Armenia, a holiday
that symbolizes our century-long will and resolution to be free
and independent.

Having lost the statehood the Armenian people were subjected to
multiple trials for centuries, resisted encroachments of the enemies
and suffered severe deprivations. However, they never despaired, never
lost their national identity, faith, language and never relinquished
their goals even for a moment.

These goals became reality in 1991 when the independent statehood
was restored on the ancient Armenian land. That was the path to
the salvation of our nation, a way to victories and achievements,
realization and self-affirmation that the Armenians pass with dignity
and overcome all the difficulties and hindrances due to their unity
and unwavering spirit, day by day solidifying and strengthening the
native country and carving its reliable future.

Respectful Mr. President,

I congratulate You and all our compatriots on the Day of Independence
once again. I wish peace, successes and all the best to our people
and Mother Armenia - the Motherland of all the Armenians, the source
of pride and confidence".

>From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin we extend our Pontifical
blessings to our people in Armenia and the Diaspora on the occasion
of Armenian Independence Day. Today is a historical and sacred day.

In 1991, our nation fulfilled its centuries-old dream of an independent
and free life, and while overcoming the difficulties of war and
a blockade, strengthened the foundations of our statehood by high
consciousness and struggle.

Independence Day is an opportunity to appreciate our past, infuse our
country with new energy and enthusiasm, and heeding the words of the
bible: "All of us are called to serve one another in love and freedom"
(Galatians 5:13), keep our pledge to the Motherland.

We offer our Prayers to God, asking that he bless our Homeland,
and under the auspices of His Holy Right Hand, bless and protect our
faithful, for the welfare of all efforts directed at the strengthening
of the country.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, accompanied by Catholicos of All
Armenians Garegin II, President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)
Bako Sahakyan and Armenia's top government officials, has visited
the Yerablur pantheon on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of
Armenia's independence.

President Serzh Sargsyan paid tribute to the memory of the Armenian
people's sons that sacrificed their lives for their Homeland.

Armenia's Ð~\inister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan, Director of
the National Security Service of Armenia Gorik Hakobyan, Chief of
Armenia's Police Vladimir Gasparyan, Speaker of Armenia's Parliament
Galust Sahakyan, President of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Gagik
Harutyunyan, Minister of Defense of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)
Levon Mnatsakanyan and other officials visited the Yervablur pantheon.

President of the European People's Party (EPP) Joseph Daul
congratulated Armenia on Independence Day". "Today we commemorate
Armenia's independence, obtained 24 years ago. Happy National Day
to all my Armenian friends!" he wrote on Facebook. European People's
Party founded in 1976 is the largest political power in Europe.

Seventy-two parties from 39 states are EPP members. Three Armenian
parties--the Republican Party, Rule of Law, and Heritage - have been
EPP observer members since 2012.